AN AIR CADET officer has branded four teenagers as "evil" for their part in a brutal gang attack that left him battered and bloodied.

Adrian King, 52, said he feared for his life during an unprovoked alcohol-fuelled attack on him outside Bradford on Avon Air Cadet Training hut.

Four teenagers admitted causing ex-RAF corporal Mr King actual bodily harm in two separate court hearings last week.

Steven Rose, 18, is facing a jail sentence for his part in attack which was carried out in front of air cadets as young as 13.

A 17-year-old and 16-year-old youth from Bradford on Avon and a 15-year-old youth from Trowbridge also pleaded guilty to the beating at Trowbridge Youth Court on Friday. Mr King, speaking after the December 13 attack from his home in Church Acre, said: "It happened so quickly but the violence that was used was unbelievable. I have seen drunk youths before but I have never seen this level of sheer bloody evilness."

Magistrates in Trowbridge heard on Thursday how Rose and three teenagers downed alcopops before causing havoc outside the Air Cadet Training hut in Kennet Gardens.

When Mr King intervened, teenager Rose pinned him to a metal fence and smashed him in the head with his fist before kicking his legs until he tumbled to the ground.

All four youths then began raining kicks on the officer who curled into a foetal position to escape the blows.

Mr King said he played dead and told the teenagers he would not fight them, but the attack was relentless. He said: "I tried to pretend I had been knocked out and I got two bad kicks to the head. It could have been an absolute bloodbath."

Mr King was saved when cadets rushed to get help by scaling a 6ft fence into a sheltered complex.

One cadet used his motorbike to drive to the nearby Lock Inn pub where regulars put down drinks and rushed to help out.

Rose, who has previous convictions for burglary and theft, also admitted attacking an air cadet during the incident.

His defence solicitor Michael Jeary said it was "a very nasty assault" for which Rose accepted responsibility.

He said the teenagers had been drinking alcohol in the run-up to the gang assault.

Rose's case was adjourned until March 27 for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.

The three other teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denied an additional charge of affray while the 16-year-old youth also denied a charge of common assault.

All three youths had their cases adjourned until March 21 for a pre-trial review.